Gov. Abbott Declares State of Disaster in 15 Central Texas Counties

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Emergency personnel rescue four special needs students and two adults from a school bus caught in floodwater near San Antonio, Texas. The vehicle became trapped as storms swamped parts of Central and South Texas.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster Friday in 15 Central Texas counties due to flooding.

This declaration comes after preliminary damage assessments were finalized and federal declaration criteria was met, the governor's office said.

“The flooding that occurred this past October throughout the state forever changed many Texans’ lives,” said Abbott in a prepared statement. “Declaring a disaster in the Lone Star State may allow affected citizens across the state to gain access to the resources they need in order to start rebuilding their lives. I have no doubt that the victims of this flooding will build an even stronger future for themselves, their families and the State of Texas."

If the request is granted by the President, affected citizens in these counties may be eligible for Individual Assistance grants of up to $33,000 from the federal government, and low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.